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Charles Martel (686-741)
}} * Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia (715-741) * Mayor of the Palace of Neustria (718-741) * King of the Franks (737-741) * Victor: Battle of Tours - 732 AD Biography Charles Martel (c. 688Paul Fouracre, The Age of Charles Martel, (Routledge, 2000), ix. – 22 October 741) was a Frankish statesman and military leader who as Duke and Prince of the Franks and Mayor of the Palace, was the de facto ruler of Francia from 718 until his death. The son of the Frankish statesman Pepin of Herstal and a noblewoman named Alpaida, Charles successfully asserted his claims to power as successor to his father as the power behind the throne in Frankish politics. Continuing and building on his father's work, he restored centralized government in Francia and began the series of military campaigns that re-established the Franks as the undisputed masters of all Gaul. After establishing unity in Gaul, Charles' attention was called to foreign conflicts with the Islamic advance into Western Europe a foremost concern. Arab and Berber Islamic forces had conquered Spain (711), crossed the Pyrenees (720) and seized Narbonensis, a major dependency of the Visigoths (721–725). After intermittent challenges, Arab and Berber Islamic forces under Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi, the Arab Governor of al-Andalus, advanced towards Gaul and then onto Tours, "the holy town of Gaul". In October 732, the army of the Umayyad Caliphate led by Al Ghafiqi met Frankish and Burgundian forces under Charles between the cities of Tours and Poitiers (modern north-central FranceThe location is near the present village of Moussais-la-Bataille, about 20 kilometres (12 mi) northeast of Poitiers; hence, the location of the battle was close to the border between the Frankish realm and then-independent Aquitaine. ), leading to a decisive, historically important Frankish victory known as the Battle of Tours (or ma'arakat Balâṭ ash-Shuhadâ, Battle of the Palace of Martyrs). This battle ended the "last of the great Arab invasions of France," a military victory termed "brilliant" on the part of Charles.Christian Pfister, 1910, "Charles Martel," in The Encyclopædia Britannica: The New Volumes, Constituting… the Twelfth Edition of that Work, and Also Supplying… '', Vol. 5, pp. 942–943, Chicago, Illinois, US: Encyclopædia Britannica Company, see https://books.google.com/books?id=L0UbAQAAMAAJ, accessed 2 August 2015. Christian Pfister, D. ès. L. (1857–1933), was a professor at the Sorbonne, in Paris, and recipient of the Chevalier of the Legion of Honour.Quote from Pfister, 1910, op. cit, regarding this text statement: "Besides establishing a certain unity in Gaul, Charles saved it from a great peril. In 711 the Arabs had conquered Spain. In 720 they crossed the Pyrenees, seized Narbonensis, a dependency of the kingdom of the Visigoths, and advanced on Gaul. By his able policy Odo succeeded in arresting their progress for some years; but a new vali, Abdur Rahman, a member of an extremely fanatical sect, resumed the attack, reached Poitiers, and advanced on Tours, the holy town of Gaul. In October 732—just 100 years after the death of Mahomet—Charles gained a brilliant victory over Abdur Rahman, who was called back to Africa by revolts of the Berbers and had to give up the struggle. ...After his victory, Charles took the offensive.""Charles's victory has often been regarded as decisive for world history, since it preserved western Europe from Muslim conquest and Islamization." http://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Tours After Tours, Charles took the offensive, destroying fortresses at Agde, Béziers and Maguelonne, and engaging Islamic forces at Nimes, though ultimately failing to recover Narbonne (737) or to fully reclaim the Visigoth's Narbonensis. He thereafter made significant further gains against fellow Christian realms, establishing Frankish control over Bavaria, Alemannia, and Frisia, and compelling some of the Saxon tribes to offer tribute (738). Apart from his military endeavours, Charles is considered to be a founding figure of the European Middle Ages. Skilled as an administrator as well as a warrior, he is credited with a seminal role in the emerging responsibilities of the knights of courts, and therefore in the development of the Frankish system of feudalism. Pope Gregory III, whose realm was being menaced by the Lombards, and who could no longer rely on help from Constantinople, asked Charles to defend the Holy See and offered him the Roman consulship, though Charles declined.Anon., 2001, "The Frankish Kingdom," in ''The Encyclopedia of World History.Quote from Pfister (1910), op. cit, regarding this text statement: "Pope Gregory III, menaced by the Lombards, invoked the aid of Charles in 739, sent him a deputation with the keys of the Holy Sepulchre and the chains of St. Peter, and offered to break with the emperor and Constantinople, and to give Charles the Roman consulate (ut a partibus imperatoris recederet et Romanum consulatum Carolo sanciret). This proposal, though unsuccessful, was the starting point of a new papal policy." He divided Francia between his sons, Carloman and Pepin. The latter became the first of the Carolingians. Charles' grandson, Charlemagne, extended the Frankish realms to include much of the West, and became the first Emperor in the West since the fall of Rome.Fouracre, Paul (2000) The Age of Charles Martel, London, GBR: Longman, see , see https://books.google.com/books?id=WsNnAAAAMAAJ, accessed 2 August 2015. Marriage and Family 1st Marriage : Rotrude of Treves Charles Martel married twice, his first wife being Rotrude of Treves, daughter either of Lambert II, Count of Hesbaye, or of Leudwinus, Count of Treves. Most of their children married and had issue. They had the following children: # Hiltrud (-754) - married Odilo I (a Duke of Bavaria) - Hiltrud was Duchess consort of Bavaria. She was regent of Bavaria for her minor son in 748-754. # Carloman de Franks (c710-754) - Mayor of the Palace of Austrasia, Duke of the Franks. He withdrew from public life in 747 to take up the monastic habit, "the first of a new type of saintly king...more interested in religious devotion than royal power". # Landrada (c712-), also rendered Landres, # Auda of France (732-bef755), also called Aldana or Alane - married Thierry IV (a Count of Autun and Toulouse). # Pepin the Short (714-768) - Pepin's upbringing was distinguished by the ecclesiastical education he had received from the monks of St. Denis. Succeeding his father as the Mayor of the Palace in 741, Pepin reigned over Francia jointly with his elder brother Carloman. Pepin ruled in Neustria, Burgundy, and Provence. Pepin's son was Charlemagne (747-814). 2nd Marriage: Swanachild Charles also married a second time, to Swanachild of Agilolfings (c700-), and they had a child: # Grifo (726-753) - attempted to share royal powers with his step-brothers, but was subdued and forced into a monastery. Mistress: Ruodhaid Finally, Charles Martel also had a known mistress, Roudhaid (c700-), with whom he had the children: # Bernard (bef732-787), # Hieronymus, and # Remigius, the latter who became an archbishop of Rouen. # Aldana, wife of Theoderich, Count of Autun Research Notes According to some sourcesFoundation for Medieval Geneaology, daughter Landrade is the wife of Sigram of Hesbaye and so the great-grandmother of Ermengarde of Hesbaye, first wife of Louis the Pious. Other sources have that Sigram's wife is a Robertian.Mittelalter Genealogie The latter hypothesis is more likely. References See Also * Charles Martel - GENI * - Famous People of Wikipedia * Ian Meadows, "The Arabs in Occitania": A sketch giving the context of the conflict from the Arab point of view. * http://www.standin.se/fifteen07a.htm Poke's edition of Creasy's "15 Most Important Battles Ever Fought According to Edward Shepherd Creasy" Chapter VII. The Battle of Tours, A.D. 732. * Richard Hooker, "Civil War and the Umayyads" * "Leaders and Battles Database" * Robert W. Martin, "The Battle of Tours is still felt today", from About.com * Medieval Sourcebook: Arabs, Franks, and the Battle of Tours, 732 * Arabs, Franks, and the Battle of Tours, 732: Three Accounts from the Internet Medieval Sourcebook * Medieval Sourcebook: Gregory II to Charles Martel, 739 * Medieval Lands Project Category:Carolingian dynasty Category:Frankish warriors Category:Roman Catholic monarchs Category:Mayors of the Palace Category:Mayors of the Palace of Austrasia Category:Mayors of the Palace of Neustria Category:Rulers of the Carolingian Empire Category:Roman Catholic monarchs Category:7th-century French people Category:8th-century French people Category:8th-century rulers in Europe Category:Burials at the Basilica of St Denis Charles Martel